Woodrow Spencer
Woodrow Spencer is a character played by Doc on the Global Trading Station Plus forums. His first appearance was in 'Glitz, Glamour, and an Arasam Jammer!' Trainer Information Appearance A handsome enough boy, Woodrow's rarely seen without a smile on his face. From his messy dark red hair too his collared work shirt (two top buttons undone), he seems to exude an aura of quiet contentedness. His posture is straight, exceedingly so- even when tired, it's rare for Woodrow to slouch. His skin is a bit smoother and softer than usual, free from acne from borderline-obsessive application of skincare products. Woodrow's favorite outfit is an off white button up shirt, under a striped black blazer and an Asiatic-themed tie. The blazer's sleeves end just before his hands, upon which are a bass clef watch and a few of those friendship bracelets. These wrist accessories are his only original choice in attire, 'cause he thinks they look cool. Lower, he wears a black pinstriped pair of pants and a treble clef buckle. It wouldn't be too difficult to misconstrue Woodrow as a preppy kid, judging by clothes alone. Why, one might ask, does Woodrow choose only the most perfect- if not a little straggly and old- of clothes? Why is he so hesitant to go to the pool? Most have attributed to him being a bit of a stuffy arse and not being able to swim, respectively, but that would be wrong. Unbeknownst to most, Woodrow has been steadily accruing a number of tattoos on his forearms and back. Most of these tattoos have been of his own design and hand, though the ones on his back- a pattern of thorns- have been done by a professional. His backpack is a reproduction of the Medkit from the video game for Left 4 Dead, but as he does actually care medical supplies in there (among other things), it can be considered a Medkit as much as it is a backpack. Personality On the surface, Woodrow seems a little bit one-sided. He's a little bit reserved, though by all accounts the perfect gentleman. Friendly to those who speak to him, and quite charming, the vast majority of Woodrow's acquaintances know him as a proper, smart kid. To his parents, he completes his chores and homework without complaint, leaving them contented enough. His performance in sports teams and musicals in tandem are nothing short of remarkable. Openly bisexual, but level-headed enough to not make a big deal out of it, Woodrow is looked upon as a paragon of the GL community. This is an act. Woodrow puts on a nice face when it suits him, but his real personality is one a little less utopian. Though he is still friendly, and charming, above all, Woodrow craves praise. Perhaps due to his parents being a little sparse with the praise, the boy actively seeks out recognition- the main reason for his joining sports teams and musicals. It is rare that the boy do something out of the goodness of his heart. His tattoos, a passive act of rebellion against his stiff father, are a sign of his resentment of his less than warm or comfortable upbringing. Why be rebellious, one might think, but Woodrow does it simply because he can. He is a true rebel without a cause, even if it is in the most subtle of ways. When speaking to a new person, Woodrow is polite and formal, to the point of shaking hands and bowing. However, with an old friend or acquaintance he speaks far more candidly, using slang and acting more like a kid should, rather than a chivalrous robot. No one has yet to crack his outer shell for the less pleasant boy within, though a fellow tattoo afficionado has come close. Most of Woodrow's clothes are either from his own hand or heavily modified by it. Having come from a very poor family, he has had to mend his own clothes from a young age. He doesn't really mind, as he knows that, short of going to Goodwill or something, there's nothing he can do about it. He battles infrequently, but previous experiences, namely Battle Now! from his local library and watching the latest strategies on his Droid phone, have taught him basic pattern recognition. He recognizes what type has an advantage over another, what a Pokemon is better at doing. Honestly, he really does enjoy singing and acting, he has discovered, originally viewing it as nothing more than a source of praise. Upon completion of his journey- or wander, is the better word- he intends to go to a college for one of the two, or chemical engineering (for the money, dear boy, the money). His extracurricular activities have included: team captain (soccer), jazz band (saxophone, trumpet), musicals (Fiddler on the Roof, Little Shop of Horrors, Barber of Seville, The Fantasticks, Lend Me a Tenor), student council (vice president), and Salutatorian. = 'Biography' Woodrow Spencer came into the world the usual way. He had a mother, and a father, and they loved each other very much. They loved Woodrow too, but less so. His mother was a professional chef, and his father was in the military. Serving under Lt. Surge, he gained a huge respect of electric type Pokemon when they saved his and the Lieutenant's lives countless times over during the war. After the war, his father, William Spencer, returned home to Celadon City, where he fell in love with the head chef of her finest restaurant, the Silver Platter. Spencer's future mother, Natalie, was not allowed to marry William with her parent’s blessing, due to his being a soldier without any real fortune, the two eloped to Furoh. After a while, Woodrow was born. Woodrow had an average upbringing. His father was strict, instilling in his son good posture and a high respect for Pokemon, while also sowing the seed of discontent in his strict by-the-book ways. His mother instilled in him some small talent in cooking. He went to school, passing everything with 'acceptable' grades, or so said his father. (B's all around.) Woodrow had a girlfriend, like a regular high school kid. He had friends, like a regular high school kid. He did sports; he sang in the choir, he acted a little. Very few could sense the boiling resentment of his parents' treatment of him, especially with his father's carrying on about Woodrow joining the military. He meant no disrespect to the armed forces, but he did not seek to be shot, thanks. He completed high school with honors, working his arse off in senior year to achieve the status of Salutatorian. Despite the offering of a few scholarships for sports and the arts, Woodrow decided to take some time off for deliberation, before deciding that a romp through the Gyms and the Contests would be a good way to acquire some fame. He stayed home for another year to gather presents for his birthday and Christmas, and on the day after he turned nineteen, left home with a straight face. The Spencer home was a rather poor one, after all, and there was another child on the way to contend with, so Woodrow's absence was taken rather well. He managed to make it about twenty feet before remembering he’d forgotten his stuff, not to mention a starting partner. Thusly, he turned around and found a coupon for a café stuck on his shoe. Not having much else better to do, he went to the café, and enjoyed a nice tall café au lait. Then when enjoying the night air and outdoor marketplace, he came upon a Gulpin gorging himself on trash. "...That's embarrassing. I can feed you better than that. C'mon." “Gulpin!” After going back to his school and cajoling a few Pokeballs and other necessities from the teachers who were sweet on him, Woodrow formally captured the Gulpin and took a few classes to be officially recognized as a Pokemon Trainer. He then, finally, set out on his journey. One day, he and Otoro came upon a river, where an Igglybuff was gargling with freshwater to prevent a sore throat. Woodrow gave her some lozenges, and she joined the two. Another day, Woodrow was listening to the radio (his favorite French music channel), and heard of a giveaway. For a lark, he called in, and subsequently won his very own Pokedex. It was in French, and he kept it that way for a little while as a novelty, but eventually set it back. While training in Arasam in preparation for a Contest or a Gym Battle, Woodrow met a Hitmonchan who agreed to join his party in return for learning the Thunderpunch technique. Later, the three fought a Gyarados and Woodrow was forced to catch it- it was far too strong for the three to overcome. Items and Equipment Medicinal herbs. Bag of Berries, primarily Oran and Lum. Various Pokeballs. Pokedex. iPod. Sketchbook. Composing book. Tattoo supplies: Needles, ink, power supply, sterilization kit. Spare clothes. Food. Medical supplies. Achievements funny story about that...he hasn't done anything. Pokemon Otoro :Species: Gulpin Gender: Male Level: 24 Nature: Lax Heritage: ::Mother: Swalot Father: Misdreavus Known Moves: Pound/Yawn/Poison Gas/Sludge/Amnesia/Thunderpunch(Technical Machine)/Pain Split(egg move). A lazy but exceptional fighter, Otoro infinitely prefers a good meal over a good fight. His Thunderpunch technique is something to be commended, and it can often change a battle in Woodrow's favour. He did not have a tragic childhood, thriving in downtown Arasam and eating whatever trash came his way. Woodrow met him at a cafe, and at the promise of 'better meals than garbage', Otoro became his first partner. Ariana :Species: Igglybuff Gender: Female Level: 17 Nature: Impish Heritage: ::Mother: Wigglytuff Father: Togekiss Known Moves: Sing/Charm/Defense Curl/Pound/Sweet Kiss/Copycat/Last Resort(egg move)/Wish(egg move)/Flash (Technical Machine). The second half of Woodrow's original team, Ariana is nevertheless still a baby and is rather more petty than Otoro. She thinks herself the more mature Pokemon, and often yells at Otoro when the latter is lazy. Despite these faults, she's still Woodrow's Solo Appealer. Hitmonchan :Species: Hitmonchan Gender: Male Level: 21 Nature: Adamant Heritage: ::Mother: Unknown Father: Hitmonlee Revenge/Comet Punch/Agility/Pursuit/Mach Punch/Bullet Punch/Feint- Naturally acquired. Hi Jump Kick: bred. Rain Dance: unknown origins. Hitonchan was acquired when Woodrow practiced the Thunderpunch technique with Otoro. Excited at the move, Hitonchan joined the team with the promise of learning Thunderpunch. Powerful and graceful, Hitmonchan is well suited to contest battles, fighting with a subtle ease. Hitmonchan is actually Woodrow's fourth capture, captured minutes after Aegis. Aegis :Species: Gyarados Gender: Female Level: 30 Nature: Adamant Heritage: Gyarados all around. Known Moves: Thrash/Bite/Dragon Rage/Leer/Twister/Splash Caught unwillingly by Woodrow in Glitz, Glamour, and an Arasam Jammer to prevent her from rampaging, Aegis was promptly handed off to Bluffs, to never be seen again. Right? As long as Bluffs doesn't pawn it off on someone... Relationships Kathryn Chez Woodrow's girlfriend, a college student. An alto and fellow theater geek, in school Kathryn was always cast as the leading lady opposite Woodrow. A natural chemistry between the two led their mutual friends to assume that they were dating, and when the two discovered this, did so. Cecily Voir The receptionist of the Arasam Contest Hall, Woodrow met Cecily when he haphazardly attempted to join a Contest. She presented him with a Friend Ball upon hearing his dilemma of being one Pokémon short to join. Woodrow feels some affection for her, but whether this is due to his sympathy for her blindness or something more, even he cannot tell. Though, when in Arasam, he does spend a disproportionate amount of time with her, rather than meeting with Kathryn. Etc. No, the NPCs don't have French last names. No, there aren't any meanings to it. Honest. I'd never lie to you, I love you. Category:Characters